


Dear Heretic

by Elvenbeard



Category: Dishonored (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-03
Updated: 2014-02-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 02:25:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1167528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elvenbeard/pseuds/Elvenbeard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darion arrives in Dunwall in a time of change and fear, not entirely sure about his fate. As a new Overseer in a city dominated by the plague some of the hardest challenges of his career still lie ahead of him. But the most demanding of them all has nothing to do with fighting cultists, rats or weepers. It is the challenge to call the order's restrictions and rules in question, the challenge to give love a chance in a city fate seems to have forsaken.</p><p>--- this work is not being updated at the moment and until further notice ---</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> During the Mission "High Overseer Campbell" a letter can be found in the Overseer's baracks. It's from a man named Darion and addressed to his lover Windham. This story is about these two men and their difficult relationship, surrounded by the other Overseers and the constant presence of the plague.  
> The story is based on the German translation of the game and letter, which is slightly different from the original version. It suggests that both Darion and Windham could be Overseers, not only Windham.  
> This is the first English fanfiction I've ever written and because English isn't my mother tongue there might be some grammatical or spelling erros. I appreciate any corrections of these mistakes, just leave a comment and I'll take care of it.

The water was cold… So unbelievably cold and relentless. Darion could not remember ever having been freezing that much. His heart was beating slowly, pounding hard against his ribs. The dull, monotonous rhythm was everything he still perceived, in addition to the severe cold. Each heartbeat ached, every rattling gasp burned. The putrid, damp air seemed to rot his lungs, slowly and painfully.  Darion could not feel his hands and feet. It was as if they were no longer there anymore. He slowly regained his consciousness. His eyelids were heavy and he felt too weak to open his eyes. He trembled, shuddered involuntarily.

High above him he heard the crackling and popping of the electrical current that flowed through the tracks. The only vehicles that still used the tracks in this district were the hearses. Every few minutes a piercing warning signal sounded through the ruins of the former financial district. Then the passage for incoming and leaving wagons opened at Rudshore Gate and another car rushed in. This went on for quite some time, probably all day long. After the eleventh car however Darion had stopped counting. Another of the grim hearses rushed along the tracks and Darion opened his eyes with all of his remaining strength. Right at that moment the automatically operated hearse on the rails leaned to the side, ponderously and with a loud squeaking sound, dumping its ghastly charge. Dozens of dead or half-dead bodies, men, women and children, wrapped in white sheets or left as they had been picked up on the road plunged into the depth. They piled up on a mighty mountain of other plague-victims – a grim memorial of death, decay and the approaching defeat of Dunwall and its citizens. A memorial of the inability of the Lord Regent to end the terrors of the Pandyssian plague. And a memorial which was well hidden behind gates and walls of light, so as not to unsettle the good citizens and investors of city and government, to let them believe that there was still some hope left. Darion wondered how many people actually believed that the sick were sent here for treatment, as it was announced through the speakers on a daily basis.

His eyes closed again. He felt feverish, hot and cold at the same time. The bullet wound in his stomach burned, even though if it was barely bleeding anymore.  Why had he ended up in a situation like this? What had he done wrong to deserve ending up here of all places, drawing his last breath surrounded by bodies, waste and rats? The slimy mud, the murky water he lay in and the acrid stench of death was no consolation to him. It made him realize that no one actually seemed safe from the disease.

Not too far away he suddenly heard the guttural moans and sobs of a woman. He heard irregular, limping footsteps in the mud, which seemed to approach. By the void, a weeper.

 _That’s it_ , was all Darion could think of, his heart pounding wildly and in agony.

_This is the end._


	2. Welcome to Dunwall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darion arrives in Dunwall with a group of other overseers. Behind them lies a long journey from southern Tyvia to the Empire's capital city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first English fanfiction I've ever written and because English isn't my mother tongue there might be some grammatical or spelling erros. I appreciate any corrections of these mistakes, just leave a comment and I'll take care of it.

Reddish smoke rose from the ship’s chimney. The monstrous engine at the rear roared deafeningly loud and broke the morning silence on the coast of Gristol. Three overseers were leaning against the railing on the starboard side of the merchant-ship, facing the mainland. One of them was Zackary Nelson, a tall and athletically built man in his thirties. His angular face was weather-beaten, an evidence of the long years he had spent on the southern coast of Tyvia. The second of the men was of comparatively lanky stature, his name was Yaroslav Budai. He was a little younger than Nelson, had a gaunt face, ash-blond hair and bright blue eyes. He always had a pretty skeptical expression on his face, even if nothing was bothering him.

At this moment the overseers snatched a first look at the just emerged silhouette of the capital of the Empire ahead of them. Fog and smoke from the countless factories situated on the banks of Wrenhaven River cloaked much of the city in a grayish haze. The third overseer, who was leaning against the railing next to Nelson and Budai, was a young man named Darion. He was one of the youngest overseers on board. He would turn 26 this year, but he served the Abbey of the Everyman no less loyal than his friars. Just like Nelson and Budai Darion wore his dark hair shaved short on the sides and at the nape, on top a little longer and combed back. It was a widespread, fairly practical haircut and very popular among soldiers and even the overseers.

A long, tiring journey lay behind the men and finally their destination got in sight.

“Have you ever been to Dunwall?” Nelson asked and turned to Darion.

“I was born and grew up here before the Abbey found me”, Darion replied, “But I do not remember most about this part of my childhood.”

Nelson nodded and let his stern gaze wander to the estuary and the city.

“Just the same with me”, he said, “However, I wouldn’t have believed to ever return.”

“It seems to me that I’m the only one on this ship who isn’t from Gristol…” the third of the men noticed. Yaroslav Budai was a Tyvian to the core. He had not been too enthusiastic about being dismissed to the capital, along with the other overseers on this ship. After they had completed their training at the Abbey at the White Cliff Darion, Nelson and Budai had been stationed in Dabovka on Tyvia. Neither Nelson nor Darion would really miss the inhospitable climate of this region, even though Dunwall did not offer the most ideal working and living conditions either. The stories of the horrible plague that struck the capital had found their way even to the cold north. At the same time the plague was the main reason why the High Overseer Campbell had asked for help at all Abbey outposts across the Empire. Not only had some of the local overseers fallen victim to the plague, but also the sinister influence of the Outsider always grew particularly strong in chaotic times like these. The number of covens, occultists and those who wanted to financially profit from the manufacture and sale of forbidden magical items had exploded in the last few months. Darion would not have been surprised if the Outsider himself had brought the plague to Dunwall.

The ship which had last anchored in Driscol a week ago began to heave slowly. Actually, a ship of the imperial fleet should have brought the overseers of Tyvia and Morley to Dunwall. Halfway to Dabovka it had suffered an engine failure and drifted on the water for days, totally disabled. Without further ado the Abbey's leadership had decided to instead let the overseers be brought here on merchant ships. Neither the detour via Caltan and Alba nor the unscheduled stop in Driscol had shifted the schedule of their journey as it would have been done by waiting for a replacement for the navy ship’s engine. Darion felt it as a pleasant change not being under the care of soldiers discussing the overseers working methods or starting a dispute about the powers and limitations of their respective groups.

The merchant ship headed for the mouth of Wrenhaven River where lighted buoys on the one hand marked the city limits and on the other hand demarcated the waterways for commerce, industry, river patrol and public use from each other. Glimmering white lights greeted the ship and its crew, guiding them safely through fog and smoke. Not far from them Darion discovered a huge whaling trawler. It was more than twice the size of the comparatively tiny merchant ship, towering over them menacingly. Seagulls circled the loading cranes on the metal colossus departing for whale hunting. Darion could decipher the ship’s name even through the dense fog. It had been written on the bow in large white letters: “Delilah”.

“Is that Dunwall Tower?” Budai wanted to know. Right now the Tyvian was barely able to take his eyes off the vast city that lay before them. Darion and Nelson, who had both looked at the whaling vessel, turned their heads.

“I should think so”, Nelson replied a little gruffly, as they passed a huge, white building on the eastern shore of the river.

Surrounded by an impressive fortification including a lock the lofty residence of Empress Jessamin Kaldwin rose high above the city. Located on the right side of the Tower, connected to the fortress by a long drawbridge, was the infamous Coldrigde prison. When the three men turned their gaze back in travel direction, they could already see Kaldwin’s Bridge ahead of them, covered in mist but brightly illuminated.

“Where will they drop us off?” Darion wondered aloud. He was not entirely sure where exactly the Office of the High Overseer was located. Or rather, he knew that Holger Square, where the Abbey’s stronghold in Dunwall was built, laid far away from the waterways that were accessible for merchant ships.

“I think here’s the answer”, Nelson replied, pointing to one of the great piers of Kaldwin’s Bridge. At a wharf located there about half a dozen small motor boats were moored. Next to the boats nearly twice as many men were lined up neatly and watched them in an expectant attitude. The golden masks about half of the waiting men were wearing were unmistakably those of overseers. Even in the dim light of the morning sun they shone impressively bright. Along with the overseers a handful of soldiers waited on the shore, probably they were the coxswain. Just at that moment the merchant ship’s captain sounded the vessels signal horn and the engine’s roar decreased in volume.

“Final destination, gentlemen!” Nelson announced with great relief. He pushed himself away from the railing and at once headed to the cabins.

“Let’s get our luggage and finally leave this darn barge.”

 

“We were expecting you to arrive yesterday”, one of the overseers of Dunwall said, facing the captain of the merchant ship, “What is the reason for this delay?”  
The old sailor seemed surprisingly unconcerned and shrugged his shoulders. Darion was curios if and how he would explain that they had anchored in Driscol so the crew of the ship had been able to spend a night at the local, shady establishments. None of the overseers on board had approved of this stop of course, mainly for the reasons that affected the Abbey’s faith or the seven strictures. However, they had been dependent on the captain and his ship by that time, so they had not been able to do much more than trying to convince the crew of not giving in to their lusts with the help of pious words. After weeks at sea without a woman in sight the overseers’ efforts and threats had been accordingly futile.

“The weather was pretty unpredictable, as always”, the captain lied, “’t could have been that maybe we would have been here tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow. In all my years at sea I’ve never seen a rough swell like this. We travelled as fast as the old girl’s engine allowed us to, Sir Overseer. Perhaps ‘t would even justify a danger bonus in addition to my payment.”

The overseer’s face was hidden behind his mask, but Darion was quite certain that he squinted angrily. His attitude was tense and he did not hesitate in rejecting the captain’s audacious claim.

“Apparently you seem to have forgotten who you are talking to”, the overseer replied seriously but still with an incredibly calm voice, “That’s why I’ll explain to you gently but firmly what it says in the second stricture of the Abbey: Restrict the lying tongue that is like a spark in a man’s mouth. Do you know the measures the Abbey is allowed to take to put out these certain sparks? Or do I have to show them to you?”

The captain’s face turned pale in the blink of an eye and he begged for forgiveness and mercy when he realized, that the overseer was not joking at all. Only reluctantly the man with the golden mask handed the captain a purse with the payment for the transport of his friars. Meanwhile every overseer had left the merchant ship and the captain hurried back on board to take off, even before the highest ranking of the present overseers of Dunwall could greet the newcomers.

“Welcome to Dunwall, my brothers. I am Leonard Hume”, the tall man announced, turning towards Darion, Nelson, Budai and all the other overseers who had traveled with the ship.

“On behalf of the High Overseer Thaddeus Campbell I can tell you what a relief it means for the Abbey of the Everyman to have you with us from this day on. You probably have already realized what an honor it is to serve law and order here in the heart of our great Empire, to fight against the dark forces threatening and misdirecting the respectable citizens of Dunwall. Furthermore I shall inform you in the name of Admiral Havelock that he apologizes for the inconvenience that you had to endure due to the failure of one of his ships.”

Hume now pointed to the motor boats that had been moored at the pier. One navy soldier each had already moved into one of the boats and positioned himself at the helm.

“The boats now bring us to a jetty at Clavering Boulevard. From there it is not far to Holger Square and the Office of the High Overseer, where your accommodations are located”, he said, “Please split up evenly on the boats, then we leave.”

Darion, Nelson and Budai entered the closest of the boats at once. The soldier at the steering wheel ignored them with stoic indifference and the overseers did just the same. The three men owned only a few personal items stowed in small backpacks which they now deposited at their feet.

“From one boat into the next…” Nelson muttered sullenly. He really was not a big fan of seafaring.

“Would you prefer to swim?” Budai asked with a grin.

“By the void, so I can be eaten by hagfishes? No, thank you”, Nelson replied immediately, “But what happened to good old traveling overland? Or are there no roads in Dunwall?”

“Once you’ve survived a patrol at night in the flooded district, you will voluntarily jump into the first available boat and row home by your own hand”, one of the Dunwall overseers suddenly remarked. He had just passed by their boat and now stood next to it. Darion was pretty sure that it was the one who had argued with the captain of the merchant ship. His calm voice was quite unique.  
“I’d still say that I prefer to walk”, Nelson replied confidently, “And even if the whole city is chasing me – no one will get me even near a boat in the foreseeable future.”

The Dunwall overseer laughed dryly and stepped into the boat.

“Where are you from?” he asked and sat down next to Budai on one of the benches for passengers.

“The three of us were stationed in Dabovka”, Nelson answered, nodding in Darions and Budais direction, “I served there nearly fifteen years, the two youngsters here six, respectively seven years.”

“I spent three years in Samara before I went to Dabovka”, Budai added, “I asked for relocation, as my family tried to contact me over and over again.”  
“So, you are Tyvian?” the overseer from Dunwall asked further. From one of the other boats they heard overseer Hume tell the soldiers that they were ready for departure.  
“I am”, Budai responded to the question of their new colleague, “Zackary and Darion were born in Dunwall.”

"Is that so?"  
The overseer seemed genuinely surprised.

“You ended up quite far away from your hometown”, he added. In the next moment the soldier at the helm revved up the boat’s engine and they slowly started to drift off the pier. The boat in which overseer Hume had seated himself drove ahead of them, the others followed in loose formation.

“And yet we have now come back again”, Darion said, “Even though the reasons could be happier ones than a growing epidemic.”

“Indeed”, the Dunwall overseer agreed, “Well, you can’t have it all.”

 He was silent for a moment until something suddenly seemed to come to his mind.

“Where are my manners, I haven’t even introduced myself yet”, he said, clearing his throat a little uncomfortably, “Call me Windham.”  
“Zackary Nelson, pleased to meet you”, Nelson replied immediately and shook hands with Windham in a friendly manner. With the other hand he clung to the seat at all times, because the boat kept accelerating.

“I am Darion”, Darion introduced himself and Windham took his hand as well. The overseer had a firm, confident handshake.

“Budai. Yaroslav”, the Tyvian said laconically as ever, nevertheless he as well shook Windhams hand.

“Well, although I’m just repeating what overseer Hume has already said: Welcome to Dunwall”, Windham stated, “I hope we will work well together.”

At this moment the small fleet of military boats left the shadow of Kaldwin’s Bridge behind and was bathed in sunlight. With roaring engines the boats went further upstream.

“I don’t remember much of my time here, but it seems the city has changed quite a bit”, Darion remarked after he had looked to the shores left and right of them for a while. Between the smoking chimneys of the factories, the noble manors and military facilities he repeatedly discovered vacant ruins, collapsed or overgrown houses and abandoned shops.

“I think Dunwall is a city that is always in flux”, Windham replied, “One time the changes bring peace and prosperity, the next time the opposite of them. Since the outbreak of the plague and the flooding of Rudshore however it’s getting more and more chaotic. And the more chaos there is the harder it gets to maintain order.”

“Tell me, Windham, what are the plans of our honorable High Overseer?” Nelson asked pretty straightforward. He was not necessarily the kind of guy who kept his concerns to himself.

“What exactly do you want to know?” Windham asked back because Nelson’s request was too comprehensive to give a precise answer at once.

“Why are we here? As reinforcement, right, but are there more accurately defined objectives?” Nelson wanted to know.  
“The containment of the disease and the prevention of it spreading further was the duty of the city watch ever since all of this has started”, Windham explained, “But recently we have noticed an increase in occult activities, particularly in the poorer neighborhoods and possibly linked to the strong presence of the plague in these areas. In the future we are going to strengthen the patrols of the city watch there. This is our first approach. The flooding in Rudshore has also unearthed many things that would be better rotting in the depths of the sea. Strange artifacts and charms made of whalebone, cursed with dark magic, cult objects, banned books and scrolls, anything you can imagine. Every day more shrines of the Outsider appear as we have altogether tracked in the whole last year. To stop all of this, to confiscate, examine and destroy the forbidden items, to find the culprits and punish them appropriately is our second focus.”

Windham looked back towards Dunwall Tower.

“Over the course of the day High Overseer Campbell has an audience with the Empress to clarify all further details”, he added, “Maybe tomorrow I’m able to give you more information, but so far this is everything that we were told.”

“What’s scheduled for today?” Nelson asked.

“Not much. First of all get acquainted with your new accommodation at the Office of the High Overseer”, Windham suggested, “If you want to I can make you familiar with the roads around Holger Square, at least until my shift begins. You will be told everything else of note in the following days. You’re going to be assigned to patrols along with me and other overseers or take guard duty in government buildings or during important events that need our attention.”

These answers seemed to satisfy Nelson – at least for now.

The boats slowly moved away from the eastern shore and crossed the river. After a while a small dock came into view in the west. This seemed to be their destination. The soldiers throttled the speed of their boats and prepared for landing. Once they had stopped Darion took his backpack and he, Nelson and Budai followed Windham and the other overseers up a wide staircase. A sound unknown to Darion’s ears increased in volume as they went further. After they had crossed an iron gate they found themselves at a crossroad in front of the actual Clavering Boulevard. Now Darion could see the source of the electric crackling. Under an archway a strange apparatus had been set up. Electrical coils were humming balefully and occasionally a blue glowing lightning flashed along thick cables lying on the ground. Several whale oil tanks were set up next to a makeshift guardhouse, some of them were already empty. Above the archway a sign was put up, stating “The boldest measures are the safest”.

“This is one of Sokolov’s machines”, Budai noticed full of fascination and awe for his compatriot. Windham nodded.

“This is a wall of light”, overseer Hume explained loudly, so that each of the newcomers not yet familiar with Sokolov’s inventions could understand him, “It was installed here for the safety of Dunwall’s citizens, to defend them against gangs, criminals and plague victims. It is harmless for you, me and the residents of Clavering Boulevard. But any mob that tries to outsmart or even traverse it will be killed and pulverized in an instant.”

As a demonstration Hume was the first to cross the invisible barrier, since the newcomers still seemed skeptical. Mankind tended to fear the unknown by nature it seemed. That fact and the chance of being pulverized by a wrongly calibrated machine were the main reasons for the new overseers’ initial timidity to pass through the wall of light.

Clavering Boulevard itself was very quiet in the early morning hours. Just on his left Darion could see an impressive three storey mansion. According to the plaque on the fence it belonged to a physician. “Offices of Dr. Galvani” it said. On the other side of the street there was a similar building. It was decorated with the banners of a soon starting art exhibition. Ahead of them the road forked into two directions. They followed the left path. To Darion it seemed as if the local overseers deliberately avoided looking towards the right turnoff. This encouraged him to turn his head, but his curiosity for the road they had not taken was not unnoticed.

“Believe me, the Golden Cat is one of the last places you want to be caught at”, Windham suddenly whispered and made Darion cringe. He had not noticed that Windham had been walking right behind him. Before he could ask what exactly the Golden Cat was, he saw a large advertising poster for precisely that establishment in a narrow side road. He was glad that he had seen it in time and therefore avoided an embarrassing and inappropriate question.

At the end of the boulevard they were facing another archway, but this one was completely sealed off with a metal wall. Only a small, heavily guarded door for pedestrians was still accessible. Slowly but surely Darion became aware of the fact that the plague posed a greater threat than he had thought at the beginning of this journey. It was dangerous enough to seal off entire districts to prevent it from spreading. The people were really anxious.

Behind the metal door lay Holger Square. The first thing the overseers saw was a huge monument in honor of the Abbey’s founder. Benjamin Holger’s stone eyes were watching them vigilant and strictly as they crossed the small yard. Ahead of them they could finally see the Office of the High Overseer.  The imposing building complex was built in a similar style like Dunwall Tower. It was decorated with the blue banners of the Kaldwin Dynasty and during evening and night it was for sure brightly lit by spotlights. For a moment Darion held his breath to let the astonishing scenery sink in. This was the center of the Abbey’s power and influence. He would never have imagined standing here, at least not in the near future. Only the most talented overseers of the Empire served in Dunwall, under direct command of the High Overseer. It was no doubt a privilege to be here and Darion felt honored to have been found worthy.

“Gentlemen, I have to say goodbye temporarily”, Windham announced while turned at Darion, Nelson and Budai. They just passed through the gate in front of the office.

“I have something to take care of in the kennel. But my offer to show you around later is still open.”

“Yes, sure!” Darion replied and Nelson nodded in agreement, too.

“Good. Then I’ll be waiting here for you”, Windham said and bid them farewell by shortly nodding his head. He then went in the direction of a side door on the ground floor of the east wing of the office. Overseer Hume had left the leadership of the group of newcomers to someone else to pursue his tasks in the main building of the Abbey.  
They crossed the courtyard in front of the building and passed a memorial representing John Clavering. Then they entered the Office of the High Overseer and an impressive white room with an enormously high ceiling. On the wall opposite to the door the urns of the most important late High Overseers and High Oracles were lined up. The wide hall emanated an almost sacred atmosphere and there was nothing than awestruck silence among those present. The two remaining overseers who had picked up the newcomers on the river now led them through the hall and through a small back door, apart from the eyes of potential visitors to the building. The door led to a backyard with a view to a branch of Wrenhaven. Several small, very modest buildings compared to the Office of the High Overseer could be found here.

“There, on the left you can see the workshop of High Artificer Bartholomew”, one of the local overseers explained, “Don’t disturb him, unless he has asked for you or your request is of importance for the Abbey. Next to the workshop you will find the bunkhouse. It is already prepared for your arrival. Back there are a warehouse, a kitchen, a mess hall and an infirmary. Follow me, I’ll show you the bunkhouse.”

While they were walking across the backyard, the overseer continued his explanations.

“As overseer Hume has already indicated someone is going to come by in the afternoon to bring you your new uniforms, which should be more suitable for the climate of Gristol. I therefore ask you to stay near Holger Square and to be back in time. The rest of the day you are off duty and may use your free time as you wish, for example for reflection and prayer or just to recover from your journey. Tomorrow after sunrise you are going to participate in a meeting in the main hall to be informed about your upcoming duties.”

The overseer opened the bunkhouse’s front door and one man after another entered. In a small vestibule there were several closets and a shelf with mailboxes. The adjoining room was the dormitory, crammed with bunk beds from floor to ceiling.

“Makes you almost feel like home”, Budai hissed sarcastically. He referred to the fact, that despite the grandeur of the Office of the High Overseer the accommodations of ordinary overseers obviously were of a similar standard all across the Empire: many men in a small room, sleeping in short uncomfortable beds. Darion was not accustomed to anything else. It was not different in either Dabovka or the stronghold at the White Cliff.  
  
It did not take them very long to ensconce themselves in the bunkhouse. Budai announced that he wanted to recover from the tiring journey and try to sleep a little. Darion and Nelson took a stroll through the backyard and had a look at most of the buildings and rooms. They made acquaintance with some overseers who had been stationed in Dunwall for years but also with some of those who had been brought here from Serkonos or Morley only a few days ago. Then they headed back to the courtyard of the office. Darion had already realized that the climate of Gristol was actually much warmer than it was in Tyvia. In the beginning he had thought the difference would not be that huge. His and Nelson’s overseer uniforms were much thicker than those of the overseers in Dunwall. The jackets had warm lining in them and it was similar with their boots. They had not put their hoods or masks back on since the ship had anchored in Caulkenny. It was simply too warm for year-round winter clothing. But as long as they were off duty it was not uncommon even for overseers not to wear their masks. Despite this fact Darion was quite surprised when they entered the courtyard and Windham stood in front of them without his mask. It had to be him, Darion thought, he had the same tall, thin stature and there was no other overseer here waiting for anyone.

“Ha, without your mask we almost didn’t recognize you”, Nelson uttered what Darion was thinking as they came closer.

“You wouldn’t believe how often I’ve hear that quote per day since I’m here”, Windham laughed and by his calm, deep voice Darion recognized him clearly now. Windham had sharp features and prominent cheekbones. His wolfish eyes had a dark, quiet color; his hair was blond with a slight reddish tinge. When he smiled a dimple appeared on his left cheek. Windham was definitely a man who could be described as handsome. Darion was struck by his comrade’s appearance, not quite sure about the reasons for his speechlessness. Because he was still staring and wondering Darion had not noticed that Windham had brought something from the kennel. A large wolfhound with light brown fur and black eyes examined the newcomers skeptically.

“This is Solace”, Windham introduced the animal as he became aware of Darion’s view and the wolfhound looked up to his master on the sound of his name, “He will join us, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. It would be really nice to have him around”, Nelson answered, stroking Solace’s longish head, “In my early years in Dabovka I had a wolfhound as well. A darn cultist shot him after I and another overseer had destroyed a shrine.”

Solace cocked his head and questioningly looked at Nelson. At first glance wolfhounds seemed like hulking beasts, but in fact they were very loyal, intelligent beings.

“I’m sorry to hear that”, Windham said but Nelson waved it aside.

“That’s not necessary, it feels like it’s been ages ago”, he replied, “At least it had given me a reason to send that cultist pig to the grave.”  
There was a moment of silence between them. Since the mood seemed to become more and more depressing, Darion took the opportunity to change the subject.

“Well, Windham, you wanted to show us around, right?”, he asked politely and Windham nodded with a smile.

“Yes, certainly. I know that a great city like Dunwall can be quite confusing for newcomers in the beginning”, he explained, “I suggest that we start in the rather secure areas around Holger Square. I could show you some of the important side streets and one or two shortcuts.”

“Sounds good”, Nelson agreed.

“Very well. Follow me then”, Windham said with a grin and Darion and Nelson followed him and Solace back towards Clavering Boulevard.

“Maybe someday you can show me around in Dabovka.”

“I’d prefer not returning to that ice castle of a city…” Darion replied and the three men laughed.

 

Some exciting weeks lay ahead of the overseers, ahead of every citizen of Dunwall – but none of them had any idea of it. Right at that moment a small boat approached the gate of Dunwall Tower’s lock. The Lord Protector had returned from a mission. Two days early.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first "real" chapter. I wanted to introduce some of the first important characters of this story (and some of them you probably know already). I think the following chapters will be of a similar length as this one, some longer, some shorter. And I'll do my best to update this story regularly but as soon as school starts again it will take me a little longer than usual.


End file.
